Lambertville

Lambertville is a city in Hunterdon County, New Jersey along the Delaware River and across from New Hope, Pennsylvania. It is 40 miles northeast of Philadelphia and 70 miles southwest of New York City.

New Jersey Route 29 goes through the city and leads south to Trenton and north to the river towns of Stockton, Frenchtown & Milford. New Jersey Route 179 winds through the Amwell Valley from the east and US Route 202's last exit on the Jersey side empties into the far north side of Lambertville. Parking is metered in the central business district.

Trans Bridge Lines offers regular bus service to/ from Lambertville on their Doylestown Route. This particular line goes from Bethlehem, PA to Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City. Also features Newark (EWR) Airport service. Stops and times differ and are updated online often. Air conditioned with free wifi on board.

Lambertville can be reached indirectly from Philadelphia area SEPTA trains. At the northern terminus of the Lansdale/ Doylestown Line, a transfer could be made to an eastbound Trans Bridge bus, but must be timed properly. Another rail option from Pennsylvania is the
West Trenton Line SEPTA, which terminates 11 miles south of Lambertville. Car, taxi (or for the more adventurous) bicycle, are options from the West Trenton station.

Lambertville's on-street parking is metered from York to Ferry streets, Monday - Saturday 9am - 9pm & Sundays 1pm - 9pm. People with bicycles will find easy parking at the corners of S. Union & Mt. Hope streets (across from Cavallo Park) in the south part of the city and in the north by following River Rd past the Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead Museum. Kayaking or canoeing is a unique way to see Lambertville, but at just about .25 sq miles, downtown Lambertville is perfect for walking.

Birdhouse Center for the Arts, 7 N. Main St, ☎215-681-4660. The Birdhouse Center for the Arts has occasional live music performances, with an abundance of music/ dance related classes. edit

Fish in the Delaware or the Canal (keep in mind NJ state regulations).

Goat Hill Overlook, Goat Hill & George Washington Roads, West Amwell, NJ (When driving on Goat Hill Road, look for George Washington Road. The road will turn to gravel and narrow. Parking will be on your left.). Get an amazing panoramic view of the river and its valley and hills. Best during sunrise.edit

Kayak/ canoe the D&R Canal or boat the Delaware River There are some easily visible places along the canal to put in your kayak or canoe, but some low foot bridges may make you want to go in north of River Rd in Delaware Twp or south across from the Golden Nugget Antique Market in Titusville. For boaters on the Delaware, the ramp into the river is free and is located behind Lambertville Station's parking lot. Go through their parking lot and bear to the paved part on the right to get to the ramp. When using the river, always check the water level. The Delaware gets very shallow and rocky south of Stockton and there's a wing dam in the middle of the river toward the south of Lambertville.

Walk over the bridge - Most tourists don't just go to Lambertville, they also cross the Delaware River over the walking side of the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge to New Hope, PA. There is a painted line in the middle of the bridge showing the border between New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Lambertville always has a lot going on, but there are some annual events to be aware of, as hotels become harder to come by during these weeks.

Lambertville New Hope Winter Festival, [5]. Usually in late January. The river cities' winter festival has great food, drink and a famous "Chili Cook-Off" where local restaurants compete against each other to concoct the best bowl of chili in the area. This is often the first event to sell out every year.edit

Shad Festival. The city's most famous festival, on a weekend in late April in honor of the Shad fish, which makes its way through the Delaware river each spring. edit

Food Fair. This event happens two times a year in June and October. Parts of N. Union St are blocked off and over 15 food trucks with a Biergarten are present during these festivals.edit

Restaurant Week. Lambertville partners with New Hope on the two towns' restaurant week. Usually in March.edit

Bell's Tavern, 183 N. Union St, ☎609-397-2226, [27]. M-Th 6pm-9:30pm, F&S 5pm-10pm, Sun 5pm-9pm. Traditional old American ambiance, but specializes in Italian dining. There are even half portion plate options. The bar area is in the center of the tavern and houses a large HD TV with over five beers on tap. Fine dining table options are offered as well. Cash Only$$. edit

Lambertville Station, 11 Bridge St., ☎609-397-8300, [30]. Restaurant hours: Mon - Thurs 11:30am - 10pm, Fri & Sat 11:30am - 11pm, Sun 10:30am - 10pm. Bar hours will often go later.. This is the restaurant part of Lambertville Station, which is in a different building than the hotel. In the warm months, there is a scenic Canal Bar, overlooking the old train tracks and D&R Canal. In the basement, there is a cozy bar with a good craft beer selection. Traditional American$$$. edit

Left Bank Lounge at the Lambertville House, 32 Bridge St., ☎888-867-8859, [31]. This bar also has a restaurant. All are located in the Lambertville House Hotel, mentioned in the Sleep section.$$$. edit

Bars

The Boat House, 8 Coryell St., ☎609-397-2244. M - Sun 4pm-12am. You'll feel like you stepped back in time at this posh wine bar across from Hamilton's Grill Room. Hidden. Off Coryell St in the area known as "The Porkyard."edit

Tomasello Winery Tasting Room, 1 N. Union St., ☎609-397-5577, [32]. Sun-Wed 11am-6pm, Th 11am-7pm, Fri& Sat 10am-8pm. Tomasello Winery is the second oldest winery in the state of New Jersey and is located in Hammonton, New Jersey and has a tasting room in downtown Lambertville. A flight of wine costs $5 and you can buy bottles to take to many of the nearby BYOBs.edit

Lambertville and New Hope are well-known for their bed & breakfasts, but the list below shows those lodging options in Lambertville.

Inn of the Hawke, 74 S. Union St., ☎609-397-9555, [34]. This Inn's rooms are attached to a bar/ restaurant which is in a former mansion that is more than 170 years old. Breakfast for guests is served from 8:30am - 10am. It features six guest rooms, four with private bathrooms.$$. edit

Lambertville House, 32 Bridge St., ☎609-397-0200 or 888-867-8859, [35]. Lodging in the heart of town, right on the corner of Bridge & Union streets.$$$. edit

For more traditional hotels, the New Hope side has a Rodeway Inn & Suites (2 miles), as does Flemington, NJ (11 miles). Trenton Mercer Airport has a Courtyard Marriott located on the Ewing/ Hopewell border (12 miles).

Bull's Island Recreation Area has spots ideal for canoeing & kayaking, as well as cooking and camping sites, along with a pedestrian bridge (Lumberville-Raven Rock Bridge) across the river to the PA side. (6 miles)